Full-time undergraduate

From September 2013, we will charge a maximum of £8,250 per year tuition fees for our undergraduate degree courses, £9,000 for our QTS and PGCE courses, and £6,200 for foundation degrees. Year 0 courses will cost £6,000 for the first year and £8,250 for each subsequent year.

What does this really mean for you and your family? Read our no-nonsense guide to 2013 funding.

If you are from England and studying for your first degree you will not have to pay your tuition fees up front—study now, pay later. Tuition fee loans are available from the government and you will also get support towards your living costs.

There are also our bursaries and the National Scholarship Programme which can provide financial support.

Student loans

Student loans are available for all students, regardless of family income. They are repayable and have a very low rate of interest linked to earnings and rate of inflation. There are two loans you can apply for:

Fee loan

You can get a loan to cover the cost of your tuition, which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year.

Up to £9,000
This is paid to the university on your behalf.

Maintenance loan

This loan is for living costs such as food, accommodation and travel.

Up to £5,500 (if you live away from home and study outside London).
Up to £7,675 (if you live away from home and study at university in London).
Up to £4,375 (if you live with parents).
Paid to you in three instalments.
Means-tested upon household income.

Maintenance grants

Financial support will be available for UK students from families with lower incomes. Maintenance grants are nonrepayable and based on household income. They are available to help with your living costs such as food, accommodation and travel.

Households earning less than £25,000 receive £3,354.
Households earning between £25,001 and £42,611 receive a partial grant.
Paid to you in three instalments. See the tables below to work out your entitlement to the maintenance grant and maintenance loan.

Students living away from home and studying outside London
Household income	Maintenance grant	Maintenance loan	Total grant plus loan
£25,000 or less	£3,354	£3,823	£7,177
£30,000	£2,416	£4,292	£6,708
£35,000	£1,478	£4,761	£6,239
£40,000	£540	£5,230	£5,770
£45,000	£0	£5,288	£5,288
£50,000	£0	£4,788	£4,788
£55,000	£0	£4,288	£4,288
£60,000	£0	£3,788	£3,788

Students living at home
Household income	Maintenance grant	Maintenance loan	Total grant plus loan
£25,000 or less	£3,354	£2,698	£6,052
£30,000	£2,416	£3,167	£5,583
£35,000	£1,478	£3,636	£5,114
£40,000	£540	£4,105	£4,645
£45,000	£0	£4,163	£4,163
£50,000	£0	£3,663	£3,663
£55,000	£0	£3,163	£3,163
£60,000	£0	£2,843	£2,843

Students studying in London
Household income	Maintenance grant	Maintenance loan	Total grant plus loan
£25,000 or less	£3,354	£5,998	£9,352
£30,000	£2,416	£6,467	£8,883
£35,000	£1,478	£6,936	£8,414
£40,000	£540	£7,405	£7,945
£45,000	£0	£7,463	£7,463
£50,000	£0	£6,963	£6,963
£55,000	£0	£6,463	£6,463
£60,000	£0	£5,963	£5,963

Please note - previous years of study at higher education level can affect future funding and can affect the amount of funding you receive - please seek further advice from an adviser.

National Scholarship Programme (NSP)

The university is part of the NSP which is for students with a household income less than £25,000. The scholarships are non-repayable.

We have 110 full time NSP Scholarships (£6,000 in total—£3,000 in year one of which £2,000 will be a fee waiver and £1,000 cash and then £1,500 services in kind in years two and three). Specific criteria will apply and awards to non-English students will be subject to Government guidance and regulations.

We also have 40 part-time NSP Scholarships (£3,000 in total over the first three years of their course—£1,500 fee waiver in year one and two £750 fee waivers in years two and three). Recipients must be studying at least 50% and registered on a minimum three year award. Specific criteria will apply and awards to non-English students will be subject to Government guidance and regulations.

In addition to the NSP awards the university will also award the following bursaries and scholarships in 2013/14:

Cumbria Bursaries: 300 new Cumbria Bursaries per year (£1,000 per year for three years)
Excellence and Performance Scholarships: 12 Excellence and Performance Scholarships per year (£1,000)
Helena Kennedy Progression Scholarships: Eight Helena Kennedy Progression Scholarships per year (£1,000)

Additional support

For students with children

Parents’ Learning Allowance - means-tested on household income. Maximum available £1,508.
Childcare Grant - means-tested on household income. 85% is paid on your behalf. Allowances for one child £175 per week, two or more children £300 per week (actual costs).

For students with adult dependants

Adult Dependants’ Grant - means-tested on household income. Maximum available £2,642.

For students with a disability or specific learning difficulty

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)—for students with a disability or specific learning difficulty to help towards extra costs, eg non-medical helper, specialist equipment, extra travel costs, etc.

How to apply

Apply to the funding body for the area in which you live at the time of your course application. Apply as soon as the application process opens in January/February 2013.

You do not need to have an offer of a place before you apply. Think which
university and course would be your first choice and put this on your application. You can change this information very easily online later.

England
Apply online to Student Finance England
Helpline number: 0845 3005090.

Northern Ireland
Apply online to Student Finance Northern Ireland
Helpline number: 0845 6000662
Or through your Education Library Board.

Wales
Apply online to Student Finance Wales
Or through your Local Authority.

Scotland
Apply online to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland

Loan repayments

Repayment is based on what you earn and not what you owe.
Your repayments start once you are earning a salary of £21,000 or above.
Repayments will be 9% of your income above £21,000, so the amount repaid each month will depend on your earnings.
Payments are automatically deducted from your salary.
All outstanding repayments will be written off after 30 years.

Rates of interest

Interest will be applied at the inflation Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 3% while you are studying, and up until the April after you leave university. From the April after you leave university if you are earning:

below £21,000, interest will be applied at the rate of inflation
between £21,000 and £41,000, interest will be applied between RPI and up to RPI +3% on a gradual scale depending on income
above £41,000, interest will be applied at RPI +3%.

The table below illustrates your approximate monthly repayments.

Repayment of fee loans
Salary	Approximate monthly repayment
£21,500	£4
£25,000	£30
£30,000	£67.50
£40,000	£142.50
£50,000	£217.50
£60,000	£292.50

Calculate your repayments
Career	Typical starting salary	Your weekly take home pay	Your weekly student loan repayments
Teacher	£21,500	£326.58	£0.87
Nurse	£21,000	£320.04	£0
Business Consultant	£25,000	£372.35	£6.92
ICT Manager	£24,000	£359.27	£5.19
Police Officer	£24,000	£359.27	£5.19
Social Worker	£24,000	£359.27	£5.19
Civil Servant	£22,000	£333.12	£1.73